Toll booth on water body at Velampatti in Tiruppur: protesters relent after demolition of the structure 

Farmers in Tiruppur opposed to the toll booth installed on an alleged encroached portion of a water body at Velampatti along Dharapuram Road by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have, for now, withdrawn their protest after demolition of the structure on Wednesday.

The demolition of the toll booth followed peace talks convened by District Collector T. Christuraj with functionaries of Struggle Committee Against Toll Booth, and Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Movement.

The Revenue Department is understood to be grappling with the way forward for fulfilling the demand of the farmers for restoration of the water body. Any structure planned for the toll booth in future by the NHAI elsewhere must have a pipeline provision for passage of water across the road, the farmers have demanded.

The issue of concession for local farmers using the toll road was also discussed. A 50 per cent fare concession was accepted for consideration to vehicles with registration numbers pertaining to Tiruppur district.

A demand was made for providing identity cards for residents of villages in the surroundings for free passage. The farmers were assured that their vehicles would be exempted from toll levy.

The six-year struggle against the toll booth would resume if the demands were not fulfilled, Easan Murugasamy, founder of Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Movement, said.

The district administration conducted the negotiations following an overnight sit-in protest by the farmers at the toll booth by the farmers. The district administration also appointed a special officer for follow-up.

Published - November 14, 2024 08:25 pm IST